Chapter 210
“Are the kids okay?”
As the light of the purification spell descended, the soldiers defending Base 5 rushed toward the center of the battlefield. Even the highest-ranking officer of Base 5 was on their way.
Over the past half month, despite the intense battles and delayed communications across the bases on Prison Star, everyone had heard of the existence of the Cub Squad.
Bases still awaiting the Cub Squad’s arrival eagerly looked forward to it, while those that had already received their assistance carefully remembered the advice shared by other bases.
For instance, the Cub Squad always pursued swift victories. After their arrival, the base defenders’ primary task was to protect themselves and avoid interfering with the children.
Another tip: the ship that transported them, 244H, typically hovered in the air and rarely engaged directly in battles.
However, when the ship’s purification light descended, it usually meant the cubs were in trouble or danger, prompting Caretaker Su to intervene.
Once Caretaker Su took action, the monsters stood no chance of escape. Even then, caution was still necessary.
Though the cubs were out of danger, they might be injured or in poor condition, necessitating immediate medical attention.
Just like now.
When the base defenders arrived in haste, they saw the cubs sprawled out on the ground in disarray. Thankfully, after a quick check, they found the cubs were merely exhausted. Their injuries were minor scrapes, easily treated with medical spray.
“Drink some water and eat something first,” someone suggested.
This was another piece of advice shared by other bases: while the cubs fought, prepare plenty of food and drinks to treat them after the battle.
The cubs didn’t stand on ceremony with the soldiers. Lang Ze got up from the ground, took a bottle of water, and gulped it down.
The monster they encountered this time had been particularly troublesome. The battle wasn’t overly intense, but it was drawn out. Lang Ze had blown his flute at least dozens of times, leaving him utterly drained. His brain felt blank from oxygen deprivation.
Ran Lie and Rong Heng had exhausted their bloodline powers entirely. Even Xue Wei, who always cared about her appearance, sat on the ground resting, too tired to bother with her image.
If not for their exhaustion, Su Ci wouldn’t have intervened.
After finishing his water, Lang Ze lay back down, staring dazedly at the black underside of the ship hovering above.
“When will we be as strong as Su Su?” the boy couldn’t help but sigh.
The monster that had taken them ages to defeat was dealt with in one swift move by Su Su. It was just… so cool! If only he could be that strong someday.
Hearing his words, Ran Lie and Rong Heng also raised their heads to gaze at the ship in the sky, their eyes filled with longing.
Would they ever be as powerful as Su Su?
No, even half as strong as Su Su would be good enough!
Lu Jiao and Lu Li didn’t share the same ambitious aspirations, and neither did Zheng Xing, or the girls Little Li Hua and Xue Wei. But they all wholeheartedly agreed on one thing—
Su Su is truly amazing!
With Su Su around, they felt an overwhelming sense of safety.
Meanwhile, the soldiers nearby, feeding the cubs water and food while tending to their wounds, couldn’t help but twitch at the corners of their mouths upon hearing the kids’ conversation.
In the soldiers’ eyes, the cubs were already incredible—far more skilled than themselves.
If the cubs thought they weren’t good enough, then what did that make the soldiers? Unworthy of existence? Of course, they wouldn’t dare say such things aloud; doing so would only invite humiliation. Instead, they silently shed tears in their hearts.
As for Caretaker Su who remained aboard the ship and never showed himself, they didn’t even dare to entertain the thought of comparing themselves to him.
Over time, as more and more bases were rescued by the Cub Squad, the soldiers who regained their strength moved on to support other bases. As a result, the cubs no longer needed to work tirelessly, moving from one emergency to the next.
Now, after battles, the cubs took the time to enjoy the adults’ warm hospitality and supervise their efforts to plant greenery.
Their assistance always came with one condition: the base had to plant at least 10,000 square meters of greenery within a month. The cubs never forgot to enforce this requirement.
Chui Le, the highest-ranking officer of Base 5, had just arrived when he overheard the little wolf cub’s question. He couldn’t help but chuckle.
Looking at the cubs before him—none older than ten and some as young as five—his eyes were filled with joy and admiration. For children so young to achieve such strength and accomplishments, with proper training, their futures would undoubtedly be bright.
“Don’t worry,” he assured them. “As soon as we finish clearing the battlefield, I’ll have the land prepared. The purification grass seedlings have already arrived, and we’ll begin large-scale planting immediately!”
Planting purification grass didn’t require much encouragement. Everyone knew the benefits of clearing the blood mist. If not for the monster invasions occupying their forces, Base 5 would have started large-scale planting long ago.
Hearing this, the cubs were satisfied and continued eating and drinking. Once they were rested, they accepted an invitation to explore the base.
With the 244H ship hovering above, they could return at any time. Lang Ze, who loved running around the most, wasn’t about to miss out on the chance to explore. After all, each visit usually came with gifts—
For instance, during their first visit to Base 26, Grandpa He not only gave them a flying saucer but also provided several communication devices.
Now every cub had their own device, making communication incredibly convenient. And He Qirui, who had generously given them away, was more than happy to do so.
His generosity stemmed not only from gratitude and affection for Lang Ze and the others but also because—he had added himself as a contact on every device. The moment Lu Jiao and the others started using them, he could immediately reach out to the kids.
Every day, he chatted with at least one cub, checking in on them and building rapport.
As a result, He Qirui had become the adult most closely connected with the Cub Squad. The cubs affectionately called him “Grandpa He,” which delighted him to no end. He often bragged about it to his old comrades in their veteran chat group.
Even Zhang Mi, the highest-ranking officer of Base 24, didn’t receive such treatment.
Other base leaders were envious, but since He Qirui had beaten them to it, there wasn’t much they could do. They resorted to cursing him for being so cunning while brainstorming other ways to get close to the cubs.
With all this back-and-forth, the cubs didn’t mind staying a bit longer to explore and play.
Even Ran Lie, who usually despised adults and harbored deep mistrust of anyone outside their caretaker due to his past, began to soften his attitude.
Of course, no one expected him to become overly friendly anytime soon.
Aboard the ship, Su Ci watched the cubs being taken into the base by its people. Lazily withdrawing his gaze, he said, “Let’s go back.”
A-Yan nodded with a smile and followed him as they stepped into the teleportation array together.
The light of the teleportation array shimmered, and they vanished from their original spot. When they reappeared, they were back in the dormitories of the Nursery center.
That’s right—during the past half month, Su Ci and the others weren’t constantly traveling outside.
If the journey was too long, they would return to the Nursery center via the teleportation array after scattering grass seeds. Meanwhile, the ship would continue on its way to the next destination. Once it arrived, they would return to the ship and resume their mission.
At night, the cubs could sleep in familiar surroundings. During the day, they would go out for battles or recreation, and occasionally, they even had time to return and share meals with Yan Ya and the others. Their days were fulfilling and joyful.
Amid such a busy lifestyle, the cubs’ psychological issues began to improve little by little.
At the very least, when staying in the blood mist, they were no longer as quickly affected as before. As long as they used the garlic spray, they could remain outdoors for extended periods.
“Those kids are doing better and better,” A-Yan commented as he walked into the kitchen, taking out fresh fruits to make juice.
“Mm,” Su Ci responded nonchalantly.
Beyond the cubs, both Su Ci and A-Yan’s powers were steadily recovering as well, a sign that the planet’s condition was gradually improving.
But it was far from enough. The earth was still sealed with large amounts of resentment. Until that resentment was fully dispelled, the fragment of Su Ci’s soul used to suppress it could not return to him.
“Step by step,” Su Ci said.
“Yes, there’s plenty of time ahead,” A-Yan replied, placing a glass of freshly made juice on the coffee table in front of Su Ci. His platinum eyes gazed at Su Ci, reflecting a gentle smile.
Su Ci looked up and met his gaze, clearly seeing his own reflection in those eyes.
He was indeed thirsty, but suddenly, he didn’t feel like drinking the juice anymore.
Su Ci, who always acted on a whim and rarely considered others’ thoughts, hesitated for a moment as he faced A-Yan. Frowning slightly, he pushed the glass of juice back toward him.
A-Yan blinked, looking at the returned juice, wondering if he had guessed wrong.
Without overthinking it, he picked up the glass. Since Su Ci didn’t want it and had returned it, A-Yan finished the sweet and tangy fruit juice in one gulp.
Anything Su Su gave him, he always gladly accepted.
Moreover, being stared at so intently by Su Ci, A-Yan couldn’t help but feel his mouth go dry, and drinking the juice served as a convenient way to cover it up.
However, just as A-Yan finished the juice and set the glass down, he heard the youth’s lazy voice drawl, “You drank my juice. What am I supposed to drink?”
??
A-Yan looked up in confusion. Didn’t Su Ci push the juice toward him because he didn’t want it? Had he misunderstood again?
Still, it wasn’t a big deal.
With that thought, A-Yan prepared to get up and pour another glass for Su Ci. But before he could move, a pair of pale, jade-like hands reached out and grabbed him by the collar.
With one tug from Su Ci, A-Yan’s upper body was pulled forward abruptly.
Caught off guard, A-Yan had to brace his knee against the sofa and place one hand on the backrest to steady himself. Meanwhile, Su Ci, still seated on the sofa, leaned back slightly.
The distance between them suddenly closed, and the scene became undeniably intimate.
A-Yan had no idea what was happening or what Su Ci intended. Though he was naturally omniscient, Su Ci was the one person he could never fully understand.
He could only stare at Su Ci’s face, now inches away, taking in the striking beauty of his features and the captivating depth of his eyes. A-Yan’s breathing grew rapid.
“Su Su?” he murmured, dazed.
Su Ci held tightly to A-Yan’s uniform collar, a faint, teasing smile playing on his lips. He had no idea how utterly alluring he appeared in A-Yan’s eyes at that moment.
His gaze shifted downward, landing on A-Yan’s lips. In a soft voice, he said, “You drank my juice. Don’t you think you owe me some compensation?”
Su Ci had been about to suggest a kiss, but as soon as the word “compensation” left his mouth, before the final syllable had fully faded, A-Yan’s hand came up to cup his face.
And then, that fiery kiss landed without hesitation.
Su Su became addicted to kissing hshhshs